Your own back yard can yield amazing photos

This time last year I traveled to the Conowingo Dam at the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland to capture photos of eagles. The Conowingo Dam is famous for attracting eagles who feed there in the winter. The eagles are famous for their epic fights over the fish that are caught. They chase each other through the air grabbing for the fish. The juvenile eagles in particular chase the adult eagles for the fish.

I went with great expectations of getting amazing photos I couldn’t get anywhere else. And I froze trying to do it. The eagles fish there in the coldest part of the year — late November through February. Standing on the edge of the water in the north that time of year can take your breath away. Also last year the water levels were high, meaning the eagle activity was slow and contained to the far side of the dam. I had a great trip and had a great time with new friends, but I didn’t come home with the spectacular eagle photos I was hoping for.

This morning out at Robinson Preserve, I was reminded of that trip when directly above my head I spotted a juvenile eagle chasing an osprey for a fish. I didn’t have to travel 1,100 miles to catch the chase close up and even though I forgot my jacket on this chilly Florida morning, I didn’t freeze while watching the spectacle. It was an amazing thing to watch. The birds were close and the chase was dramatic. You could hear the osprey warning the eagle to back off, but that juvenile wasn’t listening. He was focused on breakfast — the fish the osprey had just caught.

The chase went on for a while, until the osprey finally gave up and dropped the fish and the eagle dove down to get it. The osprey flew off in search of a fresh fish. I noticed several ospreys out fishing this morning and it’s always fun to get photos of them diving and coming up out of the water. It’s rare to see an eagle chase an osprey, but it happens and it happens in our own back yard. It was a good reminder that you don’t really have to travel far to find amazing photos.

What My Students Have Taught Me

Over the past year I have been giving private lessons in photography. I knew I had plenty to share about photography and the places to find great art, but I have been surprised by how much I enjoy working with photography students and how much I have learned from them.

I have a student who knows more about birds than I may ever know. She can identify them from their songs without ever setting eyes on them. She gave me a lesson on birds and maybe even one in humility. (I thought she couldn’t possible be able to tell a scarlet tanager from just hearing a song in the woods. She and the tanager quickly proved me wrong). She has traveled the world and is well-versed on our feathered friends. It’s been nice to get to know her and to share her excitement about Florida’s birds and the migratory birds that visit the Sunshine State.

Another student has proven to me that the art of photography hasn’t died with the advent of the iPhone camera or the selfie — and that it will likely always have a future. A young student who was recently accepted into Rowlett Academy for Arts and Communication, began developing her artistic vision through her incredible drawings. Now she is interested in photography. She has a great eye and has taught me young people are enthusiastic about photography. She is open to all sorts of photography, from taking pictures of her brother playing baseball to going out into the preserves of Manatee County to get photos of wildlife and landscapes.

Finally, I have a student who has reminded me what’s it’s like to be new to photography and to be passionate about it. She taught me how to nurture passion. She has also taught me patience. I guess that comes with the passion. Once she realized she had a talent for photography, she invested in some good equipment and her photos got dramatically better. I have seen this student improve tremendously in a short time. She has posted some photos that made me say, “I wish I had shot that.” She enjoys sharing her photos, so check out what she’s doing and like her page.

After a photography presentation, I took the Suncoast Camera Club out to one of my favorite Audubon spots for bird photography

A juvenile Night Heron gives his fans the once over.